Coffee Questions!

We know you have questions, so we've done our best to answer them below!

 

What is River City Roasters?

River City Roasters, located in central Texas, near Austin and the beautiful Texas hill country, is a veteran-owned provisioner of specialty coffees and teas that is focused on providing the freshest coffees and teas sourced from around the world and our coffees are freshly roasted when you order! Unlike what you purchase in a store, River City Roasters provides small-roast batches and our whole bean coffee is freshly ROASTED AND SHIPPED TO YOU WITHIN 24 HOURS OF YOUR ORDER (often on the same day)!

Our ground coffees are 'rested' for one day after the roasting of your order (to allow for outgassing) and then immediately shipped out to you as well.

Even are Keurig compatible EcoPods (which are biodegradable) are as freshly roasted as our whole beans and ground coffee and they are produced and fulfilled as they are ordered, being roasted in small batches (meaning that our pods are NOT old stale warehouse inventory!) 

To get coffee at home that's any fresher you'd have to roast it yourself!

 

Why does your coffee cost more than what I buy in my local grocery store?  

This is a GREAT question and one we love to answer (this is a long answer but worth reading)! To begin, WE FOCUS ON FRESHNESS AND QUALITY - not quantity or 'being the cheapest' coffee available. Have you ever wondered why coffee from a local speciality coffee shop tastes soooo much better than what you brew at home? In a word, FRESHNESS. In fact, many well-known and franchised coffee stores brew (and sell) beans that have been roasted within the past week at their own large production roasting facilities. Most people don't realize this, but almost all coffees that you find in the grocery store (ground or whole bean) are usually anywhere from 6 to 12 months old by the time you buy them (because of passing through the supply chain and sitting in warehouse inventory) - meaning that they've already been stale for months. This is important because ground coffee can lose 20% of its flavor in 7 to 14 days and up to 60% or more within 30 days, so most coffee drinkers are simply accustomed to drinking outdated, stale and 'blah' coffee (while still paying $10+ a bag) and thinking it's fresh because they don't know any better and they just 'freshly' brewed it - but it's not fresh (not even close). It's the same reason a freshly-baked loaf of bread tastes so good on the day it's baked as compared to a loaf that's already a week old and that's been sitting on the store shelf. FRESHNESS MATTERS. When buying coffee in the store you'll usually see "Best By" dates listed on the packaging (NOT "Roasted On" dates!) and these "Best By" dates are often 1 to 2 years AFTER being roasted. Also, although vacuum-sealed bags help slow the the process, they don't stop the degradation of coffee and the loss of it's flavor over several months, so you're still purchasing stale coffee - just in a vacuum sealed bag.

 

Are Your EcoPods for Keurig Machines and Are They Freshly Roasted Too?

YES!!!! Our biodegradable and compostable EcoPods fit Keurig brewing machines and they are also specialty-grade and roasted in small batches (meaning that our pods are NOT not stale warehouse inventory!) Our EcoPods are as freshly roasted as our whole beans and ground coffee and they are produced and fulfilled as they are ordered, NOT not pulled from being stored in some old shelf inventory.

 

When Will My Order Ship and How Fresh is My Coffee When it Arrives?

The roasting schedule is guided by customer demand, not warehouse inventory - so your coffee isn’t sitting around getting stale while waiting to be sold! Our roasting and fulfillment process prioritizes freshness and quality, and orders are often packed and shipped the same day they’re roasted, helping us minimize storage time and deliver coffee to you that’s full of flavor and character.

Because of this care and small-batch approach, coffee orders will generally take 1 to 5 business days before they are roasted and ready to ship. Once shipped, it can take an additional 1 to 5 business days for delivery depending upon where you are located (we use standard ground shipping by USPS). All orders include tracking information so that you will be notified when your order is shipped. 

 

How Much is Shipping? 

Domestic (United States) order are shipped for FREE!

International orders will have shipping charges calculated at checkout and they are determined using the USPS's least expensive rate. For a shipping estimate, visit the USPS website and select "Calculate the price based on Shape and Size" and use 2 pounds for the weight and use the zip code 60462 as the point of shipping origin. You will then see all the different rates and by default we use the least expensive option, which is usually "First-Class Package International".

 

How Should I Store My Coffee to Maintain Its Freshness?

Like most things, coffee does degrade over time and it degrades faster depending on the surface area exposed to air - which means that whole beans will keep longer than ground coffee. The best way to store whole beans is to place them in an air-tight container and keep them in the in the freezer, only grinding the amount you plan to use that day to avoid unnecessary exposure. Also, storing the beans in this way will help to keep out moisture and other contaminants.

The best way to store ground coffee and to keep it fresh longer is by storing it in your freezer immediately after use to avoid prolonged exposure to air (also in an airtight container). It's important to know that storing coffee in the freezer doesn't freeze it the way that water freezes, it simply slows the degradation process and eliminates exposure to air so that it's always ready for use without any defrosting.


What's the difference between Light, Medium and Dark roasted coffee?

Coffee roasts differ primarily in temperature and duration, which affects the bean's color, oil content, and taste: light roasts are more acidic and floral, medium roasts are balanced with caramel notes, and dark roasts are more oily and bitter-sweet. As an example, light roasts generally highlight the origin's unique flavor based upon soil type and growing environment whereas dark roasts prioritize the roaster's flavor.



Where is River City's Coffee Sourced From?

Our coffees are equitably sourced from a a variety of regions across the world so that we can provide the freshest and most baalanced beans available. The chart below detailes some of our sourcing regions.

 

What are the Various Flavor Profiles of Your Coffees? 

 

What are the Different Blends of Coffee and What Do They Mean?